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In Memory

In memory of our friend and colleague Amy Branch

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Female fans normally know more facts about what’s going on than men do anyway. I’d say they’re a more intelligent fan on top of that. They normally know more about what we’ve done than we know about what we’ve done. --- Tony Stewart

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There are female fans who take apart engines and will take you apart if you have a problem with that; who are drawn to the danger and mystery of the sport; who watch races on TV to witness pure passion and unscripted emotion; who love the camaraderie of these family-friendly festivals; who feel the nervous anxiety of the lip-biting wives atop the pit boxes. --- Andrew Giangola “The Weekend Starts on Wednesday”

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Just as most people could tell you where they were on
September 11, 2001, die-hard NASCAR fans can tell you exactly where they were
on February 18, 2001. That’s the day that the sport lost one of its most
recognizable drivers, Dale Earnhardt Sr., in a last-lap crash at the Daytona
500.

Today, however, we pause to celebrate the man who would’ve
been 63 on this date. Born April 29, 1951, Earnhardt Sr. remains an icon. His
personality and on-track style are unmatched on today’s tracks, and he’s still
regaled by legions of fans as the greatest ever.

“The Intimidator” earned his moniker early in his career.
Who wouldn't be intimidated by a driver who won “Rookie of the Year” honors and
the first of seven Cup championships in back-to-back years? Known for bumping
others to take the lead on his way to a win, Earnhardt Sr. had the respect of
his peers both on-and off-track.

The father of four is a member of multiple halls of fame,
including the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame
of America and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. He was among the
inaugural class of drivers inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.

This writer’s fondest memory of “the man in black” is his
triumphant victory in the 1998 Daytona 500. Following 20 career-starts at the
famed superspeedway, Earnhardt Sr. finally took the checkered flag and was
greeted along pit road by every other driver and crew member in the garage.

What are your favorite memories of “The Intimidator”? Share
them with us in the comments section below.